


softer lips

by 97nebulae



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Break Up, Canon Compliant, Developing Relationship, Drabble Collection, First Kiss, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-24
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-03-19 09:36:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3605247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/97nebulae/pseuds/97nebulae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroo has always been impulsive, and this time Tsukishima suffers it; but the passion of young love isn't always enough to make up for distance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> prompt: things you said after you kissed me (for @seijousetter)

Tsukishima is definitely not a sweet guy. His words are harsh and they bite at your insecurities, clawing at your wounds and seasoning them with enough salt to rival a sea. Which is why Kuroo is surprised when he feels his lips against his hand during a last attempt to make the other shut up; he expected them to be dry and chapped. Instead they feel soft and _oh so kissable_ , like a ripe cherry waiting to be tasted. And so he does.

It is definitely awkward. Usually people curse at Tsukishima when one too many words sneaks its way past his teeth, they don't  _kiss him_. He doesn't move, doesn't dare to breath - much less dare to reciprocate this odd gesture of affection. Even when he truly realises what is happening, that yes, Nekoma's captain has his lips upon his own and his eyes are boring into his soul, he doesn't do a thing.

So it is absolutely, unmistakably awkward. When Kuroo finally steps back with a smug smile tugging at his lips, when a slight blush invades Tsukishima's cheeks - it is so fucking awkward. And tense. Because Kuroo is stupid and didn't think. Because Tsukishima is embarrassed and _can't_ think.

"Wh-What was that for?!" Finally, words find their way to his vocal cords, laced with irritation, surprise and maybe, just maybe a little bit of shyness. However, anger and embarrassment definitely overtake it all when his- his what, now? friend? maybe-boyfriend? his  _something strange and confusing_ happily shrugs and says something that absolutely doesn't answer his question.

"We should do it more often though."


	2. summer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **SPOILERS WARNING: this is set during the summer camp arc that takes place just after the anime.**

Summer.

For most people, summer means insufferable heat, the quiet whirr of ceiling fans, icy treats and watermelon slices. It means endless hours cramming at school, unforgiving grades forcing failing students to sit in a stuffy room with a cranky teacher who wishes to go outside just as much as they do. It means going far into the countryside to visit grandmothers and tell ghost stories late at night, inviting the spirits to join and steal a cup of sake. It means briny air and sand stuck in unholy places.

Summer means _memories_.

For Tsukishima, summer means training camp. It means hours spent running under the blazing sun to let sweat wipe away the countless losses Karasuno faces. It means looking these annoying Tokyo champions dead in the eye and swearing up and down that really, he doesn't care all that much. It means looking at that stupid wolfish grin - aren't Nekoma supposed to be  _cats_ \- and telling to himself and the other that, no, he's not interested, that summer flings are stupid and he  _doesn't want to make memories._

Later, when summer almost ends and the Spring Tournament preliminaries are ready to roll around the corner, Tsukishima realises these two months  _do_ mean something. He cares about volleyball and his brother's words stirred something deep inside him, he  _cares so much_ and accepts late night invitations to drain his last drops of energy into blocking again and again.

_But he still doesn't want to make memories._

"As if that'd stop me." says the wolfish grin, or rather the  _feline_ smirk, he belatedly remarks and a little dazed from the rough kiss.

To Tsukishima, july means dealing with scorching heat and annoying bugs, it means volleyball and volleyball and volleyball  _again._ Nothing but the leather smashing against his palms and a satisfying sting. It just means spending too much time with his teammates and being blinded by the sun.

But august; august means something else. August means finding his pace and a place to rest, among the dry grass and the chill of the night. It means a warm body next to him, suffocatingly so, and soft messy hair under his hands and lips in the dip connecting his neck to his shoulder and the moon so round and so white shining its blessing upon the two teenagers.

To Tsukishima, Kuroo means  _summer boyfriend_  and lazy goodnight kisses and the smell of sweat and it's so good it makes him feel gross. But sometimes, just sometimes he looks at his phone after class, screen lit up by snarky texts, and wonders if it could also mean autumn boyfriend and maybe winter boyfriend and even spring boyfriend to loop back around to summer boyfriend.

It's just a thought fueled by a bunch of  _what if_ though, so he wipes it away with a slide of his finger and replies that  _maybe_ he's interested in meeting him again, but it's just maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> twitt @ mah0uka  
> ps, the overuse of "and" towards the end was completely intended for pacing reasons bleeb bloob


	3. distance (pt.1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry it took me so long to update again ://  
> twitt @ mah0uka

Today is one of those slow, sluggish days, where the cold seeps into your bones and chills your very soul. The final exams are dangerously approaching, and Tsukishima feels the full weight of his college preparatory classes push down on his shoulders. But, strangely enough, it's not what's dragging him down- tests have always been some sort of constant, low buzzing at the back of his mind, not this. No, this time, it's as if something curled around his heart and is pulling at it as hard as it can, slowly but painfully ripping it through his ribcage.

Sigh.

Tsukishima blankly stares at his plate, hoping that it might answer his questions, untangle the knot that seems to be constantly twisting his guts. Unfortunately, the strawberry shortcake remains silent, as if shaming him for seeking advices from a dessert.

The worst? It's working, he positively feels stupid and, as a revenge, decides to dig his fork into the strawberries. No cake should have this sort of power.

Sigh.

"Tsukki, are you okay?"

He lets go of the utensil and sighs again, sagging in his chair. If he felt tired before, now he's just miserable - he can't believe this is affecting him so much that it makes Yamaguchi worried. This is pathetic.

"Is it about Kuroo-san?"

Sometimes, Tsukishima really does wish he could hate his best friend, make him choke back his sheepish smile with a glare - but it's impossible. It's written in the rules of the universe; just like how Hinata shall never be taller than him, Tsukishima will always have a soft spot for Yamaguchi. He halfheartedly shrugs, words already rolling off his tongue.

"University takes a lot of time and Tokyo's too far for a poor highschooler."

Not that Tsukishima's family doesn't have a pretty penny hidden away, but he doubts his parents would be willing to give up their emergency savings so he can go see his boyfriend. It's not like it's a matter of life or death, and they don't even approve of Kuroo anyways - something about his smirk and his hair looking conniving. Akiteru likes him, though, and it's irritating.

"But... Isn't he supposed to come next week with Nekoma? For the practice match?"

Of course, Kuroo hitches a ride whenever the cats come over; because group prices are a little cheaper and travelling with them feels a bit less lonely, in the old captain's own words. But this isn't enough, not anymore. Tsukishima wants to be able to see him, touch him everyday, wants to mock his dumb bedhead every morning and insult his dumb smirk during dates. Tsukishima misses Kuroo so much, and it's making him feel a bit less like himself everyday, worries chipping away his confidence. Tokyo is a big city full of fascinating people, and one of them is bound to snatch his boyfriend's interest sooner or later. When all will be said and done, Kuroo will realise that nothing is all that special about Tsukishima, that their gap of two years is actually much wider than it initially felt.

"Yeah. I'm thinking of breaking up then."

Since they'll just split up in the end, it's better if he does it now. If he does it before he can't even recognise himself anymore.


End file.
